


Telephone

by Sauronix



Series: Nix's Tumblr Fics [9]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Eavesdropping, Flash Fic, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, accidental love confession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:36:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13760322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauronix/pseuds/Sauronix
Summary: “No, I didn’t tell him yet.” There’s a pause, and through his barely cracked eyelids, Ignis can see Gladio glance in at them through the open tent flap, as if to reassure himself they’re all still asleep. “Iggy’s got a lot on his mind with everything that’s going on. I don’t wanna spring it on him until things have calmed down a bit.”Ignis holds his breath, listening to Gladio’s footsteps, as worry begins to gnaw at his belly. What could Gladio possibly have to tell him that he doesn’t already know?A flash fic in response to the prompt "things you said when you thought I was asleep."





	Telephone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xylianna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xylianna/gifts).



> This was in response to the prompt "things you said when you thought I was asleep" on [my Tumblr](https://sauronix.tumblr.com/).

The sound of a phone vibrating wakes Ignis from his doze. He has always been a light sleeper, and he’s on his guard more than ever now that the Crown City has fallen. Alert, he cracks his eyelids, finding Prompto still asleep next to him. Noctis snores at his back. That leaves Gladio, then. Ignis doesn’t move, only listens as Gladio unzips himself from the sleeping bag at their feet and struggles out of it.

“Iris?” he says quietly as he ducks under the open flap of the tent. “Did you make it to Lestallum okay?” There’s a brief silence before Gladio says, “Good. I’m glad you’re safe. Are Jared and Talcott still with you?”

Ignis watches Gladio’s legs pace back and forth a few feet from the entrance to the tent. It wouldn’t be right to eavesdrop on a conversation not meant for him. Should he sit up and signal to Gladio that he’s awake? Or would that ruin this fragile moment between siblings? He deliberates for a moment, biting his lip. While it would be polite to announce himself, it’s unlikely they’ll say anything they wouldn’t want him to hear. So he relaxes in his sleeping bag, but he continues to watch Gladio pacing around the haven with his phone pressed to his ear.

“Just stay with them, okay?” Gladio says. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, but it might be a few days. Depends how fast I can get Princess moving.” There’s another pause, and then he laughs lowly, his voice a warm rumble. “Hey, just because you’re crushing on him doesn’t mean I have to use his official title.”

Ignis smiles. Publicly, he would never encourage Gladio to be disrespectful of Noct, but he’s always found it a bit endearing that Gladio refuses to conform to the trappings of his station.

“Look, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. You can give him a call tomorrow.” Gladio’s pacing slows, and then he turns abruptly, moving a few feet away from the tent. “Yeah, I’m sure. He’s not that much of a jerk.”

Next to him, Prompto murmurs something and shifts in his sleep. Ignis can’t hear what Gladio says next over the rustle of his sleeping bag, but once Prompto settles back down, Ignis turns his head just a fraction on his pillow so he can listen with both ears.

“No, I didn’t tell him yet.” There’s a pause, and through his barely cracked eyelids, Ignis can see Gladio glance in at them through the open tent flap, as if to reassure himself they’re all still asleep. “Iggy’s got a lot on his mind with everything that’s going on. I don’t wanna spring it on him until things have calmed down a bit.”

Ignis holds his breath, listening to Gladio’s footsteps, as worry begins to gnaw at his belly. What could Gladio possibly have to tell him that he doesn’t already know?

“Yeah, I know, but it ain’t that easy, Iris,” Gladio says, moving the phone to his other ear. “Because you’re my sister and you’ve been hearing me say it all your life. If I say it to him, he might not feel the same way. Then we’ll be stuck in a car together for weeks and it’ll be awkward as hell.”

Ignis’s heart rate leaps, a flush climbing his neck and up his cheeks. The flannel covering him suddenly seems too hot, too close. Whatever Gladio is saying now is lost to him. He’s too busy repeating those words in his head, over and over, to listen.

It can’t be…can it?

It might be a misunderstanding. Without the other half of the conversation to offer context, he can’t say for sure if Gladio is _actually_ speaking to his little sister about his feelings for Ignis.

But that’s certainly what it sounds like.

“I’ll tell him when the time is right,” Gladio says. “Look, I’d better go. Iggy’s probably gonna get up soon. We’ll head out as soon as those other two lumps drag themselves out of bed. I’ll text you when we’re close. Love you, kiddo.” Another pause. “I will, I will! Sheesh.”

They say their goodbyes, and Gladio’s footsteps shuffle back toward the tent. Ignis slams his eyes shut, burying his face in the pillow. He wills his pulse to slow. It throbs in his ears, so loud he’s sure Gladio will be able to hear it. But Gladio doesn’t say anything, only lowers himself to the ground with a sigh, his sleeping bag rustling momentarily before going still.

Ignis lets out his breath, all too aware of Gladio’s proximity, of his body laid out at Ignis’s feet. They’ve spent two weeks sleeping this way, in campsites and caravans and cramped motel rooms, but now that he’s realized his touch would be welcomed, it’s changed everything.

He only needs to find the courage to reach out.


End file.
